A Catalyst in Time

Chapter 2

"Your Royal Highness, forgive me, but I must inform you that there's a crazy lookin' mailmare insistin' on a private audience.She said to say her name is Ditsy Doo. Do you want to me to tell her to get lost?" one of Celestia's private guards was bowing before her throne.
Celestia frowned. Ditsy visited the palace for two reasons and sought an audience with her for only one.
"Is this mare by chance a gray pegasus with crazy eyes and bubbles for a cutie mark?" Celestia queried. The guards nodded in unison. "Admit her and clear out," she ordered.
As a semi-divine alicorn princess, she was one of the few who understood and knew about Ditsy's gift of clairvoyance.

"Your highness, I have...odd news. In the dimensional universe most similar to this one, there are six mares of great importance. They bear the Elements of Harmony as you and your sister once did and have already used them and their unusually strong friendship to defeat and bring back your sister, currently known as Nightmare Moon. In this world, your sister has yet to return, though if the prophecies are right, she is overdue for a visit. But these six mares are still important, though far more overlooked and scattered than they are in the other world. It seems a single event that was meant to irrevocably connect them never occurred in this Equestria and thus none of them are in a place where they have any power, as they are in the other Equestria."

Ditsy bowed at the end of her speech. Celestia said nothing, considering the possibilities and what they meant for the kingdom. "Dee, is it possible that one of these mares is a unicorn by the name of Twilight Sparkle?"
Ditsy bowed again. "Indeed it is."
Celestia smiled slightly. She'd always regretted putting Twilight in the lower-level classes, sensing a lot of potential from her.
"Since I have a mailmare in my throne room, I might as well put her to use," Celestia said finally. A scroll appeared in the air in front of Celestia. "Please deliver this to the unicorn Trixie and the dragon Spike."
Ditsy bowed and flew clumsily from the throne room. Celestia sighed. Though gifted, it seemed that gift caused a lot of physical problems for poor Ditsy.

***

Spike could not believe his luck. Trixie was going to graduate early, as the princess had deemed her ready to be unleashed on the world. As a request, the Princess had asked that Trixie allow Spike to be placed in the care of a student who really needed his help. Twilight Sparkle, somepony whom everypony thought was nopony, but to some-dragon she meant freedom from the tyrannical Trixie. And some instinct inside Spike told him that Twilight was essentially his mom, being the first thing he'd seen when he'd hatched. Even if her hatching was botched, Spike couldn't help but feeling that he was going home.

***

Twilight Sparkle could not believe her luck. A dragon companion? That was more than she'd ever hoped for. Baby dragons made it easier for Celestia to communicate with individual students that had them. Receiving the care of one was a great honor, one Twilight had never expected to receive. Better still, it was the dragon she had rather pitifully hatched for her entrance exam which had to mean Celestia might be taking an interest in her. If Celestia becomes my teacher, perhaps I can improve! Excited by her own thoughts, Twilight began to hop around her room like a school-filly shouting "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YEEEES!!!"
"Uh....are you Twilight Sparkle?" asked a boyish voice from the door.
"Heehee...um...yes," Twilight said, embarrassed that her new charge had caught her acting like this.
"I'm Spike, and I'm going to be living with you from now on! You know, helping you with your studies, so uh...yeah," he finished awkwardly.
"Oh duh! How could I be so careless?" Twilight said, suddenly slightly panicked. She moved things around with her magic as she spoke "Here's your bed, your desk, and you have carte blanche on parchment and any book in this room!"
Spike nodded his thanks , and set about cleaning up the mess Twilight had made with her magic, putting things back where they belonged. Twilight noticed this and smiled. There was nothing she craved more than being organized and neat, and Spike would definitely help her with that.

***

"But Pinkamena! I want to go to Canterlot and study music! Not work on this boring old farm for the rest of my life!" Inkie stomped her hooves angrily. Pinkamena sighed. This was another thing she hated about the rock farm. She was in charge and thus her sisters had to ask her for permission to do things they wanted to do. Blinkie was easy, she actually liked rock farming. Maggie Octavia, however, was not. She wanted to go to Canterlot to study classical music. She was an excellent string musician and had even personally received and invitation to go to Canterlot's famous Muleiard School of Music. But Pinkamena had to say no. It wasn't in her nature to refuse such a heartfelt request, but if the rocks weren't rotated correctly, they'd never make a profit for the farm, as they'd never turn into the monolithic geodes that surrounded the edges of the farm. Those rocks were filled with rare gems, and could only grow if the rocks were rotated daily. Pinkamena needed all the help she could get, and Maggie couldn't go anywhere until Pinkamena found someone else to take over.
Blinkie chose that moment to run in screaming "It's those Diamond Dogs again! Pink, they're taking the smaller geodes!"
"Celestia banish it!" Pinkamena swore. "I'm sorry, Inkie-Mags, but we've got to get rid of those dogs!"
Pinkamena and her sisters chased the dogs from the property, recovering all but one of the geodes. That one floated above the horn of a white unicorn with an indigo mane. Her cutie mark resembled a giant monolithic rock.
"Oh, is Pinkamena Diane Pie getting slow?" the unicorn taunted in a voice that must have once been cultured, but now sounded like the voice of a warrior queen: regal and deadly.
"Well sorry, darlings, but this gem is MINE!" The unicorn reared and galloped off with a cry of "Onward" to her dog-like followers.
For a moment, Pinkamena could only gape. That had to have been the semi-legendary Queen of the Diamond Dogs. About a decade or so ago, a filly by the name of Rarity had been kidnapped from Ponyville, supposedly by the Diamond Dogs. Later, the villagers began to see a unicorn that matched Rarity's description leading the Dogs on their hunts. She became something of a local legend. Ponyville's own Rebel Queen. Shaking off her awe, Pinkamena shooed her sisters back to the house.
"I'm going after her, don't follow!" she ordered.
The two started to protest, caught their sister's look, and ran back inside.

***

Rarity was not pleased with her dogs. Those foalish idiots had raided the Pie property like they would anywhere else. Rarity had something of a personal rivalry with Pinkamena, head of the Pie family. Pinkamena was cunning, to say the least, and always stopped the thieves that knew what her farm really grew before they even set foot on the property. The fact that the Dogs had proceeded without the caution Rarity had insisted upon when dealing with the Pie family thoroughly irked her. Rarity expected perfection. She toyed with her geode. She wasn't entirely sure why the dogs collected gems or what they did with them. Rarity hunted them because she liked beautiful things. She suspected the dogs traded them for food, clothing, and other essentials, keeping some for themselves, because, like Rarity, they liked the sparkle. Perhaps they traded them with some race that valued gems over coin. Dragons, perhaps? It was that or they had another sovereign, something Rarity really hoped wasn't true. She liked the dogs' obedience. She definitely preferred the trade idea. She really hoped the dogs wouldn't be punished by anyone but her for this mishap. She continued toying with her geode. It was pretty large, she really ought to share it with her dogs...
"Queen Rarity!" announced a tall dog who went by the name Ruff. He was Rarity's de-facto second in command. "I tried to stop the pony, but she..."
"Queen Rarity, huh! You call yourself a queen? You're nothing but a common thief! You big thieving thievy pants! I want my rock back and I want it back NOW!" shouted a high pitched angry voice, interrupting Ruff's warning.
Pinkamena Pie was standing in Rarity's courtroom. Her rival had made it passed her guards to get here. Rarity was impressed despite herself. Appearing to think it over, Rarity floated the rock in front of her.
"This? Tell me how much you want it, Pinkamena, and I'll consider giving it back."
"I'm not bargaining with you for my own property!"
"Ok. You can have it back." The Dogs stared at her in disbelief. Pinkamena waited for the catch, further impressing Rarity. "On one condition." The Dogs relaxed slightly though they'd surely flip when she named that condition.
"What?" Pinkamena demanded, still completely unfazed.
That mare's got guts, I'll give her that. Rarity thought before saying, "I want to come home with you."
As she expected, the Dogs went crazy. The began clambering, begging her not to go. Pinkamena looked like Rarity had just asked her to kill her first born child.
Rarity raised a hoof and the dogs fell silent. "Let me explain. A pony needs sunshine. As much as I love you, my pets, over a decade in these tunnels is enough to drive anypony crazy. But I cannot return to Ponyville. Too many of them know me as a Queen of Thieves. I wish to live my life among the Pie family for a while, and then I shall move on. Ruff here will lead in my absence and if your very good, I shall return to you."
The Dogs still looked skeptical, but agreed. Pinkamena still looked flabbergasted.
"You actually want to live on our Celestia-awful, Nightmare Moon-would-totally-love-it-there, Sun forsaken rock farm?" Pinkamena said at last.
Rarity nodded. "I have a gift that may be useful. I can find gems with ease."And maybe I can learn why my horn keeps dragging me to that monolith Rarity mentally added. Pinkamena considered it, then nodded.

***

Applejack started on the dozenth letter home she'd tried to write that afternoon.
Dear Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom (whom I have never met) and Ma and Pa if you are there *scratch that*
Dear Big Macintosh and Granny Smith *nope*
Dear Granny Smith and Big Macintosh and any other apple family pony who might be reading definitely not.

Applejack sighed. Letters were always such a challenge for her. Though she knew her family loved her unconditionally, she also knew that they wanted her home. Though she'd never admit it, Granny Smith was getting too old for applebucking, Big Mac couldn't do it alone, and Apple Bloom, the sister she'd never met, was too young. They needed her.
But Applejack had lost a lot of her strength in the years she'd lived with the cultured Orange family relatives. She'd thought about writing to her Ma and Pa, to try and get them to end their Apple planting crusade and go home. But Applejack had no idea how to find them . She sighed again and tried one more time to write the letter.

Dearest Apple Family,

I am quite well thank you. Aunt Orange took me to see Pony and the Beast on Trotway and it was quite delightful. I imagine little Apple Bloom would love it. I certainly miss Granny's pies, but Aunt Orange says I must watch my figure. I hope to visit as soon and my schedule is free of social engagements.

Yours,

Applejack

There. Nothing to suggest she wasn't happy. Nothing to suggest she was afraid to visit. Perfect.

"Aunt Orange?" Applejack called. "

"Yes, 'Tini, darling?"

"Could you please give this to the mailmare? It is a letter to Sweet Apple Acres."
"Of course. Anything for my favorite niece," Aunt Orange replied, kissing Applejack on the cheek. Applejack hoofed the letter to her aunt and sighed. She wished she could just go home.

***

Fluttershy trembled. There was somepony near her cottage. What if they came inside, thinking it was abandoned? What if they saw her? Fluttershy's thoughts raced, her panic escalating with each passing moment. She whimpered and the door opened. A huge stallion stood in the doorway. Fluttershy began to cry. Oh no oh no oh no.

"Is anypony in here? Ah thought ah heard cryin'," the pony said with a thick country accent. In the dim light, Fluttershy noticed he was quite handsome, in a rustic kind of way. He was a nice red color, with green eyes and a ginger-colored mane. He had an apple half cutie mark, and his eyes were kind.

"Hello there," he had seen her. Fluttershy shrank back. "It's ok. I'm not gonna hurt ya. Come on out." His voice was very soothing. Fluttershy found herself inexplicably calmed.

"Um....hi.." she squeaked.

"What's your name sugarcube?" he asked. Fluttershy had never been called a pet name before.
"It's...Flu...." Fluttershy trailed off, her shyness overwhelming her.
"What was that, darlin'?"
"Fluttershhhhh..." she trailed off again.
"Flutter...?"
"Fluttershy!" she blurted.
"Fluttershy, huh? A very pretty name for a pretty little lady."
Fluttershy blushed. He'd called her pretty! "I'm not pretty," she protested.
"Sure ya are. Mah names Big Macintosh, by the way."
"Nice to um...meet you."
"How long have ya lived in this here cottage?"
"How long?" Fluttershy blinked. She wasn't really sure...the fall...the doctor...birthdays celebrated only by her and her bunny. "I think...twelve years. I fell from the sky and this doctor he um..." she trailed off, inadvertently opening her tiny wings. Big Macintosh's eyes widened. Here it comes, he's not going to be so nice now she thought.
"What in Celestia's name happened to y'all?" he said, genuine concern, not fear or repulsion, in his voice.
"This doctor, who treated me after I fell..." She began, then stopped. She hadn't talked this much to anyone who wasn't Angel Bunny in years. Big Macintosh seemed to notice her hesitation. "Go on sugarcube," he prompted gently.
Fluttershy inhaled and then spoke.
"This doctor who treated me after I fell, he had to amputate my wings, but he wanted to see if he could make my body grow new wings but the test didn't really work so I ended up with filly sized wings on a grown-up body and he also tried to experiment on me to see if he could force my cutie mark to appear and it sort of worked but it looks like a mangled butterfly and i have no idea what that means and I'm not normal and everypony hates me." She began to cry. Big Macintosh put a hoof around her shoulder.
"It's ok, darlin. I can tell you have been through a lot. No pony should ever have what happen to you happen, especially not you. I know y'all probably don't trust me, or anypony for that matter, but you could use a friend. I'd like to take y'all home to mah farm, if ya don't mind. Get ya a decent meal and a warm bed."
To her own surprise, and certainly to Big Macintosh's, Fluttershy nodded. Something inside of her told her to trust Big Macintosh. A glimmer of hope appeared in a future that had once seemed very bleak for Fluttershy.